NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6477

Senate Bill S6477

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires that the siting, construction and establishment of methadone program facilities in New York city be proportionately dispersed in the boroughs of such cities

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 14, 2025	referred to alcoholism and substance use disorders

2025-S6477 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6439
Current Committee:: Senate Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders
Law Section:: Mental Hygiene
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: S9157, A9345
2023-2024: S1905, A2260

2025-S6477 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires that the siting, construction and establishment of methadone program facilities in cities with a population of one million or more be dispersed in the boroughs of such cities in proportion to the population of each such borough.

2025-S6477 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6477

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to require that the siting, construction and establishment of
methadone program facilities in cities having a population of one
million or more be dispersed in the boroughs of such cities in propor-
tion to the population of each such borough

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would require that, in cities having a population of one
million or more, methadone program facilities would be dispersed
throughout the boroughs of such city in proportion to the borough popu-
lation.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Creates a requirement of proportionality of the siting,
construction and/or establishment of methadone program facilities with
regard to the respective borough's population.

Section 2: Requires supportive methadone program facilities sited,
constructed and/or established in cities with a population of one
million or more after the effective date of this act shall be located in
boroughs with the lowest concentration of such facilities in proportion
to the borough population.

Section 3: Requires that prior to any siting, construction or establish-
ment of such supportive methadone program facility, the local community
board, or if no board exists, the appropriate neighborhood board, must
grant approval of the location, of the facility. Additionally, this
section provides that such local community board, or if no board exists
the appropriate neighborhood board, shall have the power to grant
exemption for certain supportive housing facilities.

Section 4: This act shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Methadone Program Facilities provide critical care to people who need
them. Concentration of methadone program facilities in selected areas of
New York City have forced individuals to relocate, travel oppressive
distances and/or cluster in areas containing such facilities, leaving
the vast majority of New York City without any such necessary facili-
ties. By providing for proportional siting, construction, and establish-
ment of such facilities, the population of New York City, as a whole,
would have better access to the necessary care and supportive services
for people whose health depend on such services.

By requiring community board approval, such siting, construction and
establishment decisions will have to be approved by active and engaged
members of the community. The provision of stratified siting,
construction and establishment would ensure that people in New York City
seeking help would have a local option for treatment moving forward.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022 - A. 9345 Referred to Alcoholism and Drug Abuse S. 9157 Referred to
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S6477 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6477
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism  and  Substance
   Use Disorders
 
 AN  ACT  to  require  that the siting, construction and establishment of
   methadone program facilities in cities  having  a  population  of  one
   million or more be dispersed in the boroughs of such cities in propor-
   tion to the population of each such borough
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, with-
 in cities having a population of one million or more, methadone  program
 facilities registered with the office of addiction services and supports
 pursuant  to  section  19.16  of the mental hygiene law within each such
 city shall be  sited,  constructed  and/or  established  throughout  the
 boroughs  of such city in proportion to each borough's population to the
 city's total population. Provided, however, that the provisions of  this
 section  shall not apply to the siting, construction or establishment of
 any methadone program facility for which the appropriate community board
 or, if there be no community board, the appropriate  neighborhood  board
 shall have granted an exemption from such provisions.
   §  2.  Methadone  program  facilities sited, constructed and/or estab-
 lished within cities having a population of one million  or  more  after
 the  effective date of this act shall be first located in those boroughs
 of the city which have the lowest concentration of  such  facilities  in
 proportion to the borough population to the city's population. Once each
 borough  has  achieved  proper proportionality pursuant to this section,
 siting, construction, and/or  establishment  of  such  facilities  shall
 continue  within  a city having a population of one million or more with
 such proportionality requirements in mind.
   § 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to  the  contrary,  no
 methadone  program  facility  shall be sited, constructed or established
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07094-01-5

 S. 6477                             2
 
 within a city having a population of one  million  or  more  unless  the
 appropriate  community  board,  or,  if there be no community board, the
 appropriate  neighborhood  board  shall  have   approved   the   siting,
 construction or establishment of such facility.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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